Follow Us

More

CDC Issues Strong Warning After Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Melons

It's summer fruit season again. Fresh melons are always a popular fruit for things like barbecues and picnics because they feed a lot of people. There has been an outbreak of salmonella in lettuce recently, and now an outbreak is affecting different types of melon. Federal health officials are saying that at least 60 people have been made sick by the salmonella in melons. And 31 of them have been hospitalized as a result of the sickness. All of the melon is pre-cut and packaged. The Centers for Disease Control is advising that people who bought the pre-cut melon to throw it away for take it back to the store for a refund.

Shoppers at Trader Joe's, Walmart, Costco, Walgreen's and Whole Foods, are likely to have purchased the contaminated fruit. Anyone living in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio, are at risk. A packaging plant, Caito Foods facility in Indianapolis, Indiana sends product to all of these locations. The Huffington Post shares that Caito Foods released a statement voluntarily recalling the products. They have also "ceased producing and distributing these products as the company and FDA continue their investigation.”

Credit: iStock / triocean

The salmonella has been found in watermelon, honeydew melon, and cantaloupe. If you have the individual cut melon or a fruit salad with those melons present, do not eat it. Contact the store you got it from to see if they're offering a refund, and if they are, return them. It seems right now that the most cases of salmonella poisoning are in Michigan, who has 32 of the 60. So if you're in Michigan, definitely be hyper vigilant.

If you live in one of the affected states and can't remember where you purchased the cut melon, you should take it back just to be safe. Salmonella isn't something that you want to mess with. The CDC claims that the symptoms of salmonella poisoning can take a few days or even to show up, so be alert if you notice any feelings of abdominal cramping, discomfort, diarrhea, and fever. The CDC also suspects that more salmonella cases related to this fruit will come out still.

Luckily, no one has died from this salmonella outbreak. You can usually trace salmonella outbreaks back to forms of live poultry, like chicks and ducklings. This is especially true of backyard chicks. Always make sure you're thoroughly washing your hands if you do some in contact with live poultry.